20110114

If you want to get the golden slingshot you will have to shoot down 15 gift balloons. This isn't really all that hard to do, especially if you know when the balloons are coming.

They appear (or have a chance of appearing) every 10 minutes during every minute ending in 4. That is from 9:04 a.m. to 3:54 p.m. So you get to mess around fishing or whatever for 10 minutes then head up to the top of the map and wait for a balloon. If you don't hear that wind blowing sound after a minute go back to fishing.

The 16th baloon you shoot down will have the golden sling shot in it and it is a fun item to have.

20101214

Get yourself a dresser or chest of drawers as soon as possible (having more than one does not help). You can stick extra junk into these which is really, really useful.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) occupants of the house do not share dresser space so if you want to share stuff between friends you will have to send it to them in a letter or leave it for them on the ground. Using the post has the least amount of risk to your HRA score, but then if you are also running the other character then the item won't be on the ground for very long.

20101114

'This marvelous herbivore was covered in spikes from head to back, eh wot? Ichallenge you to find a more perfectly protected body. You shan't succeed! Not only that, but this great best could also swing its hammerlike tail! Hoo,this allowed it to attack as well as defend. With an attack like that... Why, any carnivore would likely think twice about snacking on this fellow! Ah! Forgive my babbling. it's that tail, you see... One can't help but rave!

'The apatosaur was once called a brontosaur, I'll have you know. It is wellknown for having a rather long neck and tail and for being a herbivore. However, it appears that, unlike the giraffe, it could not make its neckvertical! (Blathers appears to be very distressed by this fact.) Yes, bloodflow, you see. If it straightened more than 90 degrees, it might faint!

Apato Skull: 5000 BellsApato Torso: 4500 BellsApato Tail: 4000 Bells

Dimetrodon

'It lived early on, when dinosaurs first began roaming the earth, wot? Andactually, to be quite accurate, it's not even a real dinosaur at all! As weknow, dinosaurs were cold-blooded and could not change body temperature. Butthe dimetrodon could! It used its distinctive back to control heat! For thisreason, it is considered what we call a 'mammalian reptile', wot?'

'The iguanodon holds the distinction of being the first dinosaur ever found! Until this beast was found, we were unaware that dinosaurs even existed, wot! One wonders if the first iguanodon tooth was thought to be an iguana's.'

'It resembled an elephant and only became extinct a mere 10,000 years ago! This shaggy beast lived in the ice age and developed pronounced tusks, wotwot? Yes, it used them to scrape ice and snow to get to the plants that itfed on!

Mammoth Skull: 3000 BellsMammoth Torso: 2500 Bells

PachycephalosaurLength: 13.1 feetLate Cretaceous

'I must tell you a smidgen about the pachycephalosaur. This unique creaturewas one of the last dinosaurs to roam the earth, wot? Though it is knownprimarily for its rounded head... It was basically all bone! There washardly a brain to speak of inside! These brain-boggling dinos never case toamaze me! Hoo, so intriguing!'

Pachy Skull: 4000 BellsPachy Torso: 3500 BellsPachy Tail: 3000 Bells

Parasaur

Length: 29.5 feetLate Cretaceous

'This dinosaur lived until the very end of ALL dinosaur-kind, you know. Themagnificent rest on its head was actually hollow bone measuring over 3 feet! BA-ROOOOOOOOOOOOOO! A mighty cry would echo across the land when it tootedit! Ah, Hoo. (Did I spit on you? I rarely get to cut loose like that, wot? I'm an owl.)'

Parasaur SkullParasaur Torso: 3000 BellsParasaur Tail: 2500 Bells

Plesiosaur

Length: 23.6 feetLate Cretaceous

'This must mean that the great day has finally come! The plesiosaur iscomplete! Hoo! Indeed, WOO hoo! I should to the sky, HUZZAH! Please,allow me a moment to tell you a little about the plesiosaur! This creatureemerged towards the end of the era of the dinosaurs... to be accurate, it wasnot a dinosaur but rather a type of long-neck reptile. The first plesiosaurusfossil was found 35 years ago by a high-schooler!'

The pteranodon was simply a wonderful creature. It emerged in the later ageof dinosaurs, winging through the ancient skies. Though it could fly, it wasmost certainly not a bird! No, it was a reptile, wot! When it spread itswings, it was a big as a small aeroplane. Simply gargantuan!

'The sabretooth tiger was an absolutely amazing beast! As it name implies, itwas part of the cat family and had two long canine teeth. It could open itsjaws incredibly wide, allowing it to tear into thick hides. It went extinctabout 40,000 years ago... during a period when humans lived. I understandthat humans also fell victim to this fierce hunter. The horror!

Sabretooth Skull: 2500 BellsSabretooth Torso: 2000 Bells

SeismosaurLength: 113.2 feetLate Jurassic

The seismosaur is quite simply, a stunning creature. Of the dinosaurs that weknow about now, this is the absolute longest. It's body was quite small andquite light for its length, to be honest.

Let me tell you about our dear stegosaur. It emerged right around the middleof the era when dinosaurs roamed the earth. The diamond-shaped platesembedded along its back are actually made of bone, wot? Indeed, they wereused to keep it cool and also to thwart its enemies.

Stego Skull: 5000 BellsStego Torso: 4500 BellsStego Tail: 4000 Bells

T RexLength: 47.6 feetLate Cretaceous

'This carnivorous giant was one of the last remaining dinosaurs on earth. Because of its speed, it was once called the ultimate hunter. However arecent theory suggests that the T-Rex was in point of fact clumsy. Yes,clumsy! And that it ate a diet consisting mostly of dead dinosaurs! Nonsense, says I! What rot! I still consider T-Rex to be a dinosaur mostsavage!'

T Rex Skull: 6000 BellsT Rex Torso: 5500 BellsT Rex Tail: 5000 Bells

Triceratops

'Allow me to compose myself and tell you about the mighty Triceratops. Thisherbivore was one of the last remaining dinosaurs, eh wot? This quiet giantis easily recognised by its three horns and its large collar. The bone inthat collar was designed to build more muscles in the neck... Yes, as aresult, the biting power of this creature was something to behold! Ah. Hoo. Yes, so sorry. I didn't behold it MYSELF, of course... Hoo.'

20100914

N.B. To catch a Mole Cricket, you first must hear a buzzing sound. Dig withyour shovel in the area where you hear the sound. The insect will emerge fromthe hole, then begin to run across the ground. Equip your net quickly tocatch it.

20100814

N.B. You will know that a neighbour is infested with fleas when he/sheuses 'itchy' as a catchphrase or otherwise makes you aware of the fact thathe/she is uncomfortable. A flea is a bit tricky to catch because you are aslikely to speak to the Animal as you are to swing the net when you are thatclose to him/her. You will see the Flea leaping about near the Animal whenyou speak to him/her.

20100714

Banded Dragonfly: rare, July to August (4,500 Bells)Red Dragonfly: September to October, noon and evening (80 Bells)Darner Dragonfly: June to August, noon (200 Bells)Mosquito: June to September, evening to night (130 Bells)

Agrias Butterfly: rare, June to September, noon (3000 Bells)Birdwing: rare, June to September, noon (3000 Bells)Common Butterfly; March to September, morning; April to June: noon (90 Bells)Emperor: rare; June to September, noon (2500 Bells)Honeybee: March to August, noon (100 Bells)Ladybug: March to June; October, noon (200 Bells)Mantis: August to November (430 Bells)Orchid Mantis: August to November, September to November (2400 Bells)Monarch: September to November, noon (140 Bells)Yellow Butterfly: March to September, morning; April to June, noon (90 Bells)Snail: rare, April to September (250 Bells)

N.B. Snails appear to be more prevalent on a rainy day. In contrast,butterflies seldom if ever will be found when it is raining.It may be coincidence, but I always find the orchid mantis on white flowers,and never on flowers of other colours.

Pink or Red Flowers:

Tiger Butterfly: March to September, until noon; May to June, noon (160 Bells)

Blue, Black or Purple Flowers:

Peacock Butterfly: March to September, until noon; May to June, noon (220Bells)

N.B. Black flowers, like black roses, black tulips or black cosmos arehybrids as are purple flowers like purple tulips and purple pansies. To finda Peacock Butterfly, it is necessary to create hybrid flowers. A PeacockButterfly will be attracted to another hybrid, a blue pansy.

Fresh Water:

Firefly: June, night (300 Bells)

Grass:

Bell Cricket: September to October, evening to night (430 Bells)Cricket: September to November, evening to night (130 Bells)Grasshopper: July to September, noon (160 Bells)Long Locust: August to November, noon (200 Bells)Migratory Locust: August to November, noon (600 Bells)

20100514

If you want to get the golden fishing rod then you will need a lot of patience. Here is how you do it.

1 - Get yourself a fishing rod2 - Catch at least one of every variety of fish in the game.

Very simple in theory, very time consuming in practice. Fish appear at different times of day and different months of the year so it is very hard to know that you have all of the fish. But it is also a good way to earn some bells to pay down your mortgage so in the end it is definitely worth the effort to catch every fish that you can.

I personally have never been able to get the golden fishing rod, but I aspire to it someday.